“The message and the things I talk about are authentic to who I am,” he says. “But in the same way that a newscaster would talk differently at work than he would at home…you have to play to the medium that you’re on.”

He goes on, “On YouTube you’re competing with all these little boxes around you of places for people to click. And you have to turn it up. So I think I’m a more charismatic, more animated, more interesting version of how an I am in real life.”

That includes subtle adjustments for YouTube audiences. For example, when he looked at his audience retention data (YouTube provides a detailed chart that shows authors when their viewers lose interest) he saw that viewership dropped whenever he paused for a breath.

As a result, he now edits his breaths out of his videos. Davey Wavey hasn’t taken a breath online in four years.

But in real life, he’s calm, measured and thoughtful. It’s such a departure from the wacky online character that he can come across as a bit of a blank slate if one regards him in contrast with that persona. Were it anyone else, he would seem perfectly normal; but when compared to the man in the YouTube videos, the real life Davey comes across as uncluttered as his apartment’s decor.

He also takes plenty of breathers for the sake of his sanity. Davey doesn’t drink, and he goes to bed around 9:30. His favorite way to recharge is hanging out with his neighborhood friend, cooking, going for a hike, or not answering his phone for a while.

“I have to prioritize those things to stay in balance,” he says. After all, the world won’t stop turning if he takes a break from YouTube. “We’re not curing cancer,” he says.

But it’s still rewarding work. He thinks of closeted gay kids in an isolated place, seeing an unapologetically out gay man, and hopes that he can be a source of strength.

And becoming an online personality is just fun. “For me, it’s was crossing things off a bucket list,” he says. “Like jumping out of a plane with my drag queen friend.”

Or: “I got to climb a volcano. I got to swim in a pool of lube.”

That lube adventure was a little scary for him. “I thought to myself, I’m going to go underwater and they’re going to reach down to save me but I’m going to be so slippery I’m not going to be able to get out. I’m going to drown.” (He didn’t.)

So now that he’s crossed off so many life goals, what’s next? Television, he hopes. He’s currently serving a self-imposed sentence in Los Angeles, where he recently bought a unit in a West Hollywood apartment complex.

In keeping with his online career, the complex is one of those panopticon-style developments, common in LA, where all the units face each other as though in a constant state of surveillance. Inside, though, he’s remodeling to make the place more cozy. Wires protrude from the kitchen walls, and the appliances are so new he was peeling off protective plastic to use them when we visited. The decor is minimal and possessions are few, as though Davey’s not sure that he won’t decide tomorrow to move across the globe.

But he says he won’t. “I’m committed to LA. I need to be here because YouTube is here, YouTubers are here, production is here. So it makes sense.”

He adds, “I’m also here because I think the next chapter of my life will involve TV. … my ideal role would be not just being in it, but being part of the project.”

He was just on a Bravo show about dating. (Though one gets the impression that Davey’s career already demands as much attention as any relationship.) He found it a little difficult to just sit back and perform without having a final say in the editing.

So sometime soon, you might start seeing Davey Wavey’s name listed as Executive Producer on an actual TV show. Or maybe you’ll see his real name? He’s avoided it for years, in part because he didn’t want employers to Google him and find his racy videos. But now it’s looking like those might actually be an advantage, so he may be stuck as “Davey Wavey” for the rest of his professional career.

cjohll

Ihadtosayit

PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID

What I don’t get is the guy is obviously carrying some beef, but is not cut, so why is his face so fucking wasted? It’s like his head belongs on a much scrawnier, much older body. What is he messing with that will do this?

May 26, 2014 at 10:05am

qlm

It is so unfortunate that there are so many jealous people who want to try to bring someone down who is at least attempting to bring something positive into the world. I’m just thankful that all the bitter unhappy people who comment here dont have a larger platform to bring down other gays because they hate themselves so much. Dont we have enough problems dealing with the political process and the religious right that we ccant at least be supportive of efforts inside our own community. Try being a positive influence. Maybe then life will get better for you. Addressed to most commenters.

Ihadtosayit

sportyguy1983

Him along with Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, the Real Housewives, and countless of other fame/attention seek whores who want to be famous for fame sake. They have no real accomplishment to show except they are able to get a bunch of stupid people to follow them. If he does get a TV show, it will be another step to the downfall of society.

And if he his going to post publicity photos of himself that show the bottom of his feet, you would think he would make sure they weren’t dirty (like he is). That is just plain gross.

May 26, 2014 at 10:05am

jkb

@qlm: Amen…he is no different than any other person who seeks the limelight. I wish him well.

Ben Dover

Okay – Davey Wavey seems nice & pleasant enough, but how is being a typical self-centered attention hound “attempting to bring something positive into the world”?

You remind me of the show “Silicon Valley” where the tech geeks are always sure that whatever ridiculous, pointless app they come up with is going to “HELP MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE” !!!

May 26, 2014 at 11:05am

litper

He’s becoming more anti-gay and self hating. All these “straight guys” vids, just disgusting!

May 26, 2014 at 12:05pm

ingyaom

“YouTube is here”? YouTube is on the internet, which means it’s everywhere (except maybe North Korea), so that’s no reason to be in WeHo. Presumably, that’s just for some (unrealistic) TV dream. I don’t see that happening, but good luck to him.

May 26, 2014 at 1:05pm

Niall

Yay a new avenue to showcase his obnoxiousness, surprised LOGO hasn’t offered him a reality tv show tbh

May 26, 2014 at 3:05pm

Dakotahgeo

I’m impressed with David! A common sense person with a wild talent to entertain. All the best!

May 26, 2014 at 4:05pm

crowebobby

The more I know . . . I don’t regularly follow Wavey Davey (though I liked his vids with the pretty BelAmi boys), but I follow a lot of the young, particularly attractive and personable YouTubers (often British) who seem to be having such a great time, enjoying their youth and each other. Their total acceptance of their gay colleagues and fans (whether real or feigned) is refreshing . . . and how else is a 77-year-old man going to share the lives of cute-to-hot young men in their teens to early twenties? I was in show business for 30 years so I’m not completely ignorant of how illusions are created, but I still find it fascinating how these sometimes-very-young kids make it look like they’re just sitting on their beds or walking down the street while talking to you: the scripts are indiscernible; the hand-held steady cams invisible; the delivery of long monologues are so natural they seem to be completely adlibbed. And now this: “when he looked at his audience retention data (YouTube provides a detailed chart that shows authors when their viewers lose interest) he saw that viewership dropped whenever he paused for a breath. As a result, he now edits his breaths out of his videos. Davey Wavey hasn’t taken a breath online in four years.” This apparently child’s-play phenomenon is so much more complicated than the general public realizes (those who are even aware of it) it never ceases to amaze me. And that’s not even getting into the business end and the nonstop travel needed to collaborate with other YouTubers who share their particular demographic. I realize this is diversion from the main subject of the article.

May 26, 2014 at 4:05pm

Dugan

These comments make me sick and break my heart. It takes a talent to get in front of a camera and actually be entertaining. People calling him an attention seeking whore, ur ducked up. Someone having the will and drive to achieve something in their life isn’t being a whore. It’s being determined. Best of luck to u Davey. Look forward to seeing more of u..!

May 26, 2014 at 4:05pm

MarionPaige

What is “TV” anymore? It seems to me that a talent owns more of his content, has more control over his content on youtube. However,

Davey Wavey playing himself on HBO’s Looking could work.

May 26, 2014 at 4:05pm

Dxley

Well, I want Tom Daley and Cheyenne Jackson both French kissing with my dick between their mouths, but it’s not going to happen. Sorry, Dave!

Ben Dover

Wow. Overreact much? I didn’t realize he was curing cancer and creating world peace by making YouTube videos.

Where does anyone call him a “whore,” where are you seeing that?

Most of the comments here are fairly positive. The worst criticism anyone says is that he has dirty feet – well, if the shoe fits (so to speak). As they say in the courtroom, “truth is an absolute defense against libel.” Anyway there are probably some pervs here who find his dirty feet a turn-on.

Elektra1138

sportyguy1983

So let me get this right, someone who makes a career out of being famous for no good reason should not be highly criticized? They should only be praised?

May 26, 2014 at 6:05pm

Elektra1138

@sportyguy1983: He isn’t famous for ‘no good reason’ – he makes videos about straight men, underwear and masturbating neighbours. Clearly intellectually challenging and stimulating subjects.

Who are we kidding? People watch his videos because they like to see a baby-faced, annoying muscled hyper-faggot. Apparently a teenage girls wetdream.

May 26, 2014 at 7:05pm

Dugan

@Ben Dover: I duno, but looking back there are very few positive comments on here. And I’m not just talking about this one thread. Comments on the last three articles about him on here. It’s not n overreaction. It’s just disgusting how people are so negative towards what he is doing. The overreaction I see is u making it seem like I compared him to curing cancer…

May 26, 2014 at 9:05pm

Scribe38

@Dugan: Gay men love beating up other gay men. Reads like a GOP meeting in this room.

Ben Dover

Davey seems perfectly capable of taking care of himself and unfazed by the “criticism.” Does he really need to be defended by you two perpetual adolescents?

Calm down – I’m sure Queerty will let us all know when Davey wins the Pulitzer Prize for YouTube Exhibitionism.

May 26, 2014 at 11:05pm

Pistolo

I think porn is his best option. His channel is allllll about sex. He loves talking about it, joking about it, he kinda loves that his nude pics are out there, he has gone on rants about how it’s a shame he would be stigmatized for it because of society, he would be a nudist if he could. Why not? I don’t like him as a person but I’d watch his porn.

May 27, 2014 at 3:05am

James Hart

Although Davey has a killer bod and an amusing YouTube show, I really don’t consider him T.V. worthy. But, I could be wrong: The Kardashians prove you can be stupid and still get on T.V. as long as you have nice boobs and butts. But in Davey’s case, nice pecs and a nice butt.